Porter discusses recreation funding issues

by jmaloni

Fri, Jul 19th 2013 05:00 pm

by Terry Duffy

Recreational funding occupied portions of
what was otherwise a low-key Town of Porter Board meeting, earlier this month
at Town Hall. While certainly not on the level in the Town of Lewiston, which
this week saw its referendum proposal for a multi-million recreation center go
down to defeat, the funding discussions did create some waves.

One involved a routine request by Town
Supervisor Mert Wiepert for the board to approve and have him sign a $750
contract with Town of Wilson Youth Baseball. Town residents represent roughly
34 percent of the participants in Wilson Youth Baseball, and the $750 would
reflect the town's share of the operations cost. Approval appeared to be a
given until Town Councilman Joe Fleckenstein spoke up.

"How much does Wilson fund the town rec
department?" asked Fleckenstein, noting that a significant number of
participants in the town's summer recreation program participants are from the
Town of Wilson. When the answer came back, "Zero," Fleckenstein shot back, "We shouldn't
be sending them anything. It should be a wash. It's not right. We accept their
kids for nothing.

"Send some money to us, and we'll help
them."

Town Recreation Director Kathy Zasucha
commented that it would cost the town five times the amount Wilson was
requesting if Porter operated its own youth baseball program. She also noted
that Wilson baseball has done a variety of in-kind services, notably
improvements to the baseball field at W.H. Stevenson Elementary School in
Ransomville.

"And who owns that?" Fleckenstein asked.
"The Wilson School District. I'd like to know their response."

Fleckenstein suggested the two towns get
together to discuss the funding issue; board members concurred and tabled the
request for the time being.

In other recreation-funding news, a
request came from Highway Superintendent Scott Hillman for a new tractor at
Porter on the Lake Park to handle mowing. Hillman offered two proposals from
the vendor, Bentley Brothers in Albion, ranging from purchasing a new $30,000
tractor with $9,000 in trade-in allowances provided for the town's older
equipment, lowering the cost to $21,585, to leasing a new tractor at a cost of
$8,000 per year to the town, with an option to purchase after two years.

The purchase idea didn't go over well with
town bookkeeper Norm Ault. On a question regarding budgeted funding for
equipment from Fleckenstein, who noted a $30,000 available equipment balance
for POTL, Ault replied, "The town has $42,000 in the Porter on the Lake
accounts, to cover everything." He indicated the POTL funding for all park
needs has been accumulating over the past two years, a total of $30,000 is
available for equipment and when that is exhausted any future needs would need
to come from park's fund balance account. He didn't appear enthused on the
prospect of spending the budgeted equipment money on a single lawn tractor
purchase, telling the board, "If the town spends this, its budget for Porter on
the Lake would be exhausted."

Board members suggested the lease option
would be best for the town's needs. That would see the town leasing the vehicle
with a buyout option of $23,758 after two years versus an outright purchase of
$21,585, which would put a significant dent in the POTL account, said Ault.

"Then we need to determine the best
approach," said Fleckenstein of the lease option, a move that also won the
support of Wiepert and Deputy Supervisor Tom Baia. Board members went on to
approve the lease option soon after.

In still more recreation news, Zasucha
informed the board that 385 children have registered for the town's summer rec
programs. "We're averaging 208 kids per day in the programs," said Zasucha,
adding the numbers are higher than anticipated and their largest number are
middle school-age students. The summer rec program continues till mid-August.

Wrapping up:

•The board briefly reviewed preliminary
specs with town engineer Dave Brittain for a new water tank under consideration
for the existing tank site on Balmer Road. Brittain presented options for
models and quotes for a new tank, which would have a capacity of 650,000
gallons. Prices ranged from $1.68 million for a Waterspheriod type tank (its
shape likened to a golf ball mounted on tee); to $1.83 million for a composite
tank (a traditional welded steel tank on a concrete platform) - with $200,000
budgeted for contingency issues. Britain said the cost of restoring the
existing tank would be $850,000.

Board members took no action that evening
and were expected to discuss the matter further with Brittain en route to next
month's meeting.

•The board approved the bid of $54,200
plus contingency costs to Tuscarora Roofing for replacement of the Town Hall
roof.

•The town forwarded a
request to State Assemblywoman Jane Corwin and State Sen. George Maziarz, for
the state to re-examine the gross gate receipts assessments for CWM Chemical
Services. The request to increase the 6 percent gate receipts assessment, one
which has been in place for roughly 40 years, was put forth by the town with
CWM's application to the state Department of Environment Conservation for
expansion of its Balmer Road facility now pending and a decision expected over
the coming year or less.